They stopped when they sensed a presence nearby. It was a familiar, ominous chakra—a sensation Naruto knew well. He clenched his fists, his heart pounding as memories of his friend-turned-rival came flooding back.

"Sasuke..." Naruto whispered.

Emerging from the shadows, Sasuke stepped forward, his gaze cold and detached. Team Taka lingered behind him, each member studying Naruto and Sai with guarded suspicion. Suigetsu cracked a grin, while Karin’s gaze flickered with apprehension.

Naruto’s eyes widened, both relief and frustration in his voice. "Sasuke! It’s really you!"

Sasuke, unfazed, met Naruto’s gaze with the same intensity, his Sharingan activated and gleaming. “Naruto,” he said, almost with a hint of disinterest, as though this encounter were inevitable but inconsequential.

Naruto took a step closer, Sai right behind him, and his voice held a mix of desperation and hope. "Why, Sasuke? Why did you abandon everything? Why did you leave us?"

Sasuke’s expression darkened. "I have my own path, Naruto. I won’t be bound by the past anymore." His gaze shifted briefly to Sai. "And it seems I've been replaced."

Karin walked over, leaching onto Sasuke's arm as she fixed her glasses, "who are these people Sasuke..?~ will they be a problem for us?"

Sasuke, unfazed. Shook Karin off nonchalantly as he turned his back, "your too close. Be more mindful of the space you take up." He completely ignore her question as he began walking, the other two following. Leaving Naruto stunned, Sai slightly annoyed